architecture,  Barn

Overcast Skies

January 28, 2012
Overcast Skies

I go and get the camera and do it. Photography is a medium in which if you don’t do it then, very often you don’t do it at all, because it doesn’t happen twice. A rock will probably always be more or less there just the way you saw it yesterday. But other things change, they’re not always there the day after or the week after. Either you do it or you don’t. Certainly with things as changeable as sky and landscape with moving clouds and so on, if they look wonderful to you on a certain day and if you don’t do it then, you may never see them again for the rest of your life. So as a photographer you become very conscious – at least I do – that everything is in movement. -Paul Strand,

My subject when taking this image was the fading red barn. However, when I loaded it on my computer the barn was not as interesting to me as the sky. It’s a drab sky, nothing spectacular, just an overcast sky. Not sure what but the image has something in it for me, so I started playing around with it. Once I converted it to black and white I saw it completely differently. An emotion rose within me to keep playing. I played with tone and contrast and some vignetting, giving me what I needed. Now the overcast skies are what speaks to me.

Retired. Having fun with photography. Journal daily. Meditate daily. Learning haiku. Have a love for fountain pens.

8 Comments

  • Earl

    January 28, 2012 at 5:54 am

    I believe our subconscious often sees potential hidden from first inspection requiring us to search beneath the surface. My searches don’t always find the prize hidden away but I believe you did in this photo. Nicely done!

    • Monte Stevens

      January 28, 2012 at 6:46 am

      Thanks, Earl! It can also go the other way as some image we think are going to be awesome but are disappointed with the final image. There is also that idea of experiencing the moment of capture. I now have a barn to shoot again. What will I find?

  • Ken Bello

    January 29, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Although I’ve not seen the color version, I can imagine the red barn and pale blue sky. I think it’s a perfect candidate for a black & white because it has the tones and sufficient contrast for a nice conversion. Very nice!

  • Paul

    January 30, 2012 at 4:18 am

    Sometimes it takes black & white to bring it out, sometimes it takes time. I’ve had images that I thought were going to be just wonderful in B&W, but was seriously disappointed in both B&W and color, so I just left it alone. Some months later, I might think about it again and suddenly, I know what to do and it works. Go figure.

    I’m glad that you were able to coax out this image’s potential.

  • Anita Jesse

    January 30, 2012 at 6:24 am

    I like both the image and the story. By the way, that was a wonderful quote to share, as well. This lesson in patience and sometimes needing to explore a bit to find the gold is such an important one , isn’t it? It is very much linked to the theme of the post that follows:taking time to really see. This is something I can never be reminded of too much.